Making BusBars And Nickel Plating

[fafrd]

I wouldn't mix the oil with the NoAlox. It might be better to clean it off with acetone and quickly add the the NoAlox, or skip the oil altogether. Don't worry about it too much...

Got it - thanks.

So sand with oil, clean off by wiping down with fresh oil, then clean off the oil with Acetone and quickly apply NoAlox - sounds like a plan .

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

So sand with oil, clean off by wiping down with fresh oil, then clean off the oil with Acetone and quickly apply NoAlox - sounds like a plan .

Yeah! Seriously though, just sand/clean with acetone and use NoAlox. It's not like we're dealing with high currents here anyway...

 

[fafrd]

Yeah! Seriously though, just sand/clean with acetone and use NoAlox. It's not like we're dealing with high currents here anyway...

What I’ve done in the past is sand dry and then clean off the dust with Acetone.

I’m worried that sanding with Acetone will be a mess while I’ve sanded with machine oil for other applications before.

So sanding with oil sounds easier to me than sanding with Acetone and between sanding dry and sanding with oil, using oil seems like a good way to get oxide forming on the cleaned surface (which is the whole point, right?).

So I’m leaning towards either wiping off the oil layer before applying the NoAlox or cleaning off the oil with Acetone before applying the NoAlox.

My currents are currently around 80A (40A per 2P cell) and I may push that up to 100A or 120A in the future.

The only reason I’m going to bother with this at all is that I’m seeing higher battery resistance than I should have if my cells are at spec.

If my contact resistance is higher than it could be, it means my battery may be in better shape than it appears to be…

 

[fafrd]

Yeah! Seriously though, just sand/clean with acetone and use NoAlox. It's not like we're dealing with high currents here anyway...

Do you use ‘wheel-type’ wire brush for cleaning aluminum terminals populated with grubscrews or ‘cup-type’ wire brush (for dremmel)??

 

[chrisski]

Do you use ‘wheel-type’ wire brush for cleaning aluminum terminals populated with grubscrews or ‘cup-type’ wire brush (for dremmel)??

For my 280 ah cells, I will clean the contact area with a wire brush. I got a steel set and a brass set for the Dremel. I will follow that up with acetone or alcohol. I don't think I will clean the grub screws except with acetone or alcohol. Those put out a lot of current.

My 25 amp cells in pictured in this thread may put out 17 amps tops.

 

[fafrd]

For my 280 ah cells, I will clean the contact area with a wire brush. I got a steel set and a brass set for the Dremel. I will follow that up with acetone or alcohol. I don't think I will clean the grub screws except with acetone or alcohol. Those put out a lot of current.

My 25 amp cells in pictured in this thread may put out 17 amps tops.

Are you using ‘wheel-type’ or ‘cup-type’ brushes to clean your terminal contact area?

Grubscrews don’t need to be brushed clean - 99% of the current flows into the terminal surface.

 

[curiouscarbon]

After reading of various anti corrosion terminal-busbar interface materials, I am choosing MG Chemicals 847.

Finally building a 300Ah 4S pack. Thanks to lots of discussion about the nuances here and other threads.

Terminals are CATL 302Ah with laser welded threaded stud, approx 1cm tall stud.

current personal hodge podge plan:

1) wipe terminal clean with lint-free alcohol wipe
2) apply thin layer synthetic oil to flat part of terminal
3) use scotchbrite to abrasively rub terminal surface
4) wipe away dust and excessive oil with cloth
5) clean with new oil and wipe excess oil
6) apply MG chemicals 847 carbon conductive assembly paste to flat part of terminal
7) wipe busbar, wipe dry, assemble, torque to spec

any thoughts on isopropyl alcohol vs acetone?

any thoughts on specific synthetic oil? @upnorthandpersonal input welcome ?

will be sure to not overthink it ad infinum ??

 

[chrisski]

alcohol vs acetone?

IMO, Acetone works better at cleaning a surface. If I’m out, or it’s a type of surface that can’t be cleaned with acetone, then isopropyl or denatured alcohol it is.

Metal is fine with acetone, the shrink wrap I’m not sure. Blue bled onto the cotton swab when I was cleaning with acetone.

 

[curiouscarbon]

thank you @chrisski, your input is appreciated!

grateful for the guidance ?

 

[curiouscarbon]

also, thank you for taking the time to document this process which is more safe to be around!

i’m planning on having copper laser cut by oshcut and aspire to use a process similar to what you described ?to plate them to reduce corrosion over time

 

[upnorthandpersonal]

any thoughts on specific synthetic oil?

Anything that doesn't contain silicone should be fine. I used some motor oil since I had that around, but I think regular chain oil (used for bicycle chains for example) is good too.

 

[curiouscarbon]

Anything that doesn't contain silicone should be fine. I used some motor oil since I had that around, but I think regular chain oil (used for bicycle chains for example) is good too.

thank you! these constraints greatly assist my search